EFCC Press
Release
The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, November 7, 2014 arraigned Kebbi
State Accountant-General, Alhaji Mohammed Arzika Dakingari and Musa Yusuf,
Managing Director, Beal Construction Nigeria Limited before Justice Sabiu Bala
of Kebbi State High Court, Birnin-Kebbi on a 20-count charge bordering on
conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and abuse of office.
Dakingari, among other
things allegedly used his office as the Accountant-General, Kebbi State
to fraudulently enrich himself.
Particulars of
count four of the charge reads:
“That you Alhaji
Mohammed Arzika Dakingari being the Accountant-General of Kebbi State , on or
about 2nd May, 2013 in Kebbi State within the jurisdiction of the
High Court of Kebbi State , did use your office to confer upon yourself, a
corrupt advantage for the award of a contract by Kebbi State Government to Beal
Construction Nigeria Limited, (a company on whose board your children are
directors and of which you are a signatory to its bank accounts) for the
provision of additional structures to the newly established secondary school at
Moh’d Mera College, Argungu worth N241,866,556.50 (two hundred and forty one
million, eight hundred and sixty-six thousand, five hundred and fifty six
naira, fifty kobo) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable
under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act,
2010”.
Count two reads:
“That you Alhaji
Mohammed Arzika Dakingari being the Accountant-General of Kebbi State and Musa
Yusuf being the Managing Director, Beal Construction Nigeria Limited sometime
in October, 2012 in Birnin-Kebbi within the jurisdiction of the High Court of
Kebbi State, with intent to defraud, did aid Ibrahim Abdullahi Usman, Chairman/Managing
Director, Cigale Finance S.A Lome-Togo (now at large) to obtain 25 Units of
Iveco Trucks, property of Karimat Global Trade Links Limited valued at
N175,000,000.00 (one hundred and seventy five million naira) only by false
pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8 (a) of the
Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences, Act, 2006 and punishable under
section 1 (3) 0f the same Act”.
The accused persons
pleaded not guilty to all the charge when it was read to them.
In view of their plea,
counsel to EFCC, Mahmud Bello urged the court to fix a date for trial to
commence while the accused persons be remanded in custody. However, the defence
counsel, Suleiman Usman prayed the court to admit his clients to bail pending
the commencement of trial. He added that, the accused persons are men of
integrity and would not jump bail.
Justice Bala after
listening to both counsel, adjourned to November 11, for hearing on the bail
application and ordered the accused persons to be remanded in EFCC custody.
It will be recalled
that, the accused persons were to be arraigned on August 28, 2014 but their
plea could not be taken following an application by the defence to the court to
quash the charge on the ground that no prima
facie case had been established against them. He contended that, since
there is no link between the accused persons and the alleged offence ,the court
lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
The prosecution, in
response, posited that, there is a prima facie case against the accused persons
going by the proof of evidence attached to the charge. “Before the court grant
leave to prefer the charge against the accused persons, it had already
satisfied itself with the proof of evidence attached to the charge”, he added.
At the resumed hearing
of the case today, the court held that it had jurisdiction to entertain and
decide the matter and consequently ordered the accused persons to enter their
plea.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head,
Media & Publicity
7th
November, 2014
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